Plane Stolen From Sea-Tac Airport in Washington Crashes

The U.S. Coast Guard says a plane was stolen from Sea-Tac airport on Friday before it crashed into a small island. (Published Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018)

What to Know

Authorities are investigating how a man was able to steal an airplane at Sea-Tac International Airport in Washington state Friday

After being followed by military jets, the man crashed the plane into a small island

Officials said the man was suicidal, which points to one of the potential perils for commercial air travel: employees causing mayhem

Investigators are piecing together how an airline ground agent stole an empty commercial airplane, took off from Sea-Tac International Airport and crashed into a small island in the Puget Sound after being chased by military jets that were quickly scrambled to intercept the aircraft.

Officials said Saturday that the man was a 3.5-year Horizon Airlines employee and had clearance to be among aircraft, but that to their knowledge, he wasn't a licensed pilot.

The 29-year-old used a machine called a pushback tractor to first maneuver the aircraft, which was in a maintenance area, so he could board and then take off Friday evening, authorities said.

A U.S. official briefed on the matter told The Associated Press the man was Richard Russell. The official wasn't authorized to discuss the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Stolen Plane Seen Making Erratic Maneuvers in the Sky Over Seattle

Cell phone video captured a stolen airplane making erratic maneuvers in the sky over Seattle before crashing into an island.

(Published Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018)

Video showed the Horizon Air Q400, a turboprop plane that seats 76 people, doing large loops and other dangerous maneuvers as the sun set on Puget Sound.

Two F-15C aircraft were scrambled from Portland and pursued the plane but authorities say they didn't fire on it before it crashed on tiny Ketron Island, southwest of Tacoma, Washington. Video showed fiery flames amid trees on the island, which is sparsely populated and only accessible by ferry. No structures on the ground were damaged by the plane, which sparked a small wildfire.

"It is highly fragmented," Debra Eckrote, the Western Pacific regional chief for the National Transportation Safety Board, said of the plane. "The wings are off, the fuselage is, I think, kind of positioned upside down."

The family added that he "was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend." They said voice recording shows Russell's "intent was not to harm anyone. He was right in saying that there are so many people who have loved him."

Russell could be heard on audio recordings telling air traffic controllers that he is "just a broken guy."

Russell's family said in a statement that they are stunned and heartbroken. They referenced the recordings of him talking to air traffic controllers and said and that it's clear Russell, who went by the nickname "Beebo," didn't intend to harm anyone and "he was right in saying that there are so many people who loved him."

Horizon Air is part of Alaska Air Group and flies shorter routes throughout the U.S. West. The Q400 is a turboprop aircraft with 76 seats.

At a news conference in Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, officials from Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air said that they are still working with authorities as they investigate what happened.

"Last night's event is going to push us to learn what we can from this tragedy so that we can ensure this does not happen again at Alaska Air Group or at any other airline," said Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Airlines.

The bizarre incident involving a worker who authorities said was suicidal points to one of the biggest potential perils for commercial air travel: airline or airport employees causing mayhem.

"The greatest threat we have to aviation is the insider threat," Erroll Southers, a former FBI agent and transportation security expert, told the AP. "Here we have an employee who was vetted to the level to have access to the aircraft and had a skill set proficient enough to take off with that plane."